Wearing shoes, slippers is banned in this Indian village; know why

Wearing slippers and shoes provides much-needed comfort for your feet, especially on rough roads and challenging terrains. However, there’s a village in India where wearing footwear like slippers and shoes is banned. 

Andaman, a small village in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, has prohibited its people from wearing footwear. The village is about 450 kilometers from Chennai. People typically remove their shoes at the entrance to the village. The community primarily engaged in farming and labour work in the fields. In this unique setting, only the elderly or sick individuals are permitted to wear slippers, while the rest of the villagers go barefoot.

During the summer months, some individuals wear slippers to shield themselves from the hot ground, while children attend school without shoes. People often carry their shoes and slippers in their hands. 

This is a long-standing tradition that is a sign of respect and love for the village deity.

According to a News18 report, The villagers hold a belief that a goddess named 'Muthyalamma' protects their community. In March and April, they honour the goddess with worship and celebrate a three-day festival.

In her honour, villagers refrain from wearing shoes and slippers. Just as individuals enter a temple barefoot, they regard their village as a sacred space and walk without footwear. This practice, rooted in their beliefs, has been practiced for years. 

Visitors from other villages are informed of this tradition upon arrival and are expected to comply; those who do not agree must adhere to this custom regardless.

Additionally, the villagers hold an ancient belief that wearing slippers in the village can cause a high fever that is difficult to cure. For this reason, they typically avoid wearing footwear and prefer to walk barefoot.

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